Colin Kaepernick created a stir around the NFL after he refused to stand for the national anthem before a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers on August 26, 2016. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback stood firm in his decision not to stand for the anthem and stated that he doesn't need anyone's approval. He said that he stood up for the people who are oppressed in the USA. Some people approved of his decision, saying that his actions are as American as the national anthem and applauded the fact that he took a stand. Others were angry and disappointed, stating that he disrespected current and former members of the military and the American flag.
NFL ratings have been down recently and some people think Kaepernick's protest is to blame.
Donald Trump goes after NFL players
At his rally for Senator Luther Strange in Alabama on September 22, Donald Trump said that every player who kneels for the national anthem is a ''SOB'' who should be fired. Donald Trump doubled down on his comments about the NFL, stating that the owners should do something about these Protests and that his comments have nothing to do with race. These comments and president's attack on Stephen Curry caused the world of sports to unite against him. Many NBA stars spoke out against him, and in Week 3 many NFL players also took a stand.
NFL teams respond to Trump
Before their Week 3 games, many NFL teams in one way or another responded to Donald Trump.
Some teams locked their arms together before the national anthem, some teams knelt together before the anthem, and some players continued to kneel during the anthem. NFL owners showed support for their players' protest and knelt or locked arms with them.
The Patriots will stand for the anthem with hand over heart
The New England Patriots joined the rest of the NFL in order to show unity and respond to the president, as more than 20 of their players knelt before their match game against the Houston Texans last Sunday (Sept.
24). CSNNE confirmed that the New England Patriots will indeed stand for the national anthem against the Carolina Panthers on October 1. Patriots players will stand with one hand on their heart and the other on the shoulder of their teammates as a sign of unity and solidarity. This report confirms what most players have been saying over the past week about the anthem and what Danny Amendola and Duron Harmon alluded to in their interviews.